Carrier for railway couplers



3 Shee ts-Sheet 1 Filed Nov. 2, 1953 fai -Ann IN VENTOR 4 0/922: 54 440' Ffi/P/VASS Jan. 29, 1957 E. FURNISS CARRIER FOR RAILWAY COUPLEJRS 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Nov. 2, 1953 m m 5, v 5 mm m m L RM E E N E r m v \xwwfi L n i Q NwW T WWW v k g R )W mflf. R RRV LI! m xml ATTORNEY Jan. 29, 1957 L. E. FURNISS CARRIER FOR RAILWAY COUPLERS 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Nov. 2, 1953 AGREE EL WY/V FOFN/J5j,

ATTORNEY United States Patent CARRIER FOR RAILWAY COUPLERS Loree Elwyn Furniss, Groveport, Ohio, assignor to The Buckeye Steel Castings Company, Columbus, 01110 Application November 2, 1953, Serial No. 389,655

9 Claims. (Cl. 213-61) This invention relates to a striker anda support for railway couplers and also pertains to improvements in the structure and mounting of the carrier member on the striker whereby the carrier may move laterally relative to the striker and also move vertically with respect to the striker while affording support for the coupler stem.

An object of the invention is to provide the carrier member for a railway coupler with structural characteristic which cooperate with the striker in such a manner that lateral movements of the carrier member relative to the striker swings the springs supporting the carrier member without subjecting the springs to horizontal shearing forces which are usually imparted to such springs during lateral shifting of the carrier member.

Another object of the present invention is to provide improvements in the structural characteristics of the carrier member and the mounting thereof on the striker so that lateral movements of the carrier member and the coupler with reference to the striker are accompanied by further compressing the supporting springs and means in association with the springs providing for returning the carrier member to a central position relative to the striker.

A further object of the invention is to provide rollers for limiting the upward movement of the carrier. member relative to the striker to minimize and substantially eliminate wear of the parts as a result of lateral movements of the carrier iron with respect to the striker.

Other objects and features of the invention will be more apparent to those'skilled in the railway draft appliance art as the present disclosure proceeds and upon consideration of the accompanying drawings and the following detailed description wherein an exemplary embodiment of the striker and coupler carrier are disclosed.

In the drawings:

Fig. l in the left hand portion is a front elevational view of a striker and the coupler carrier assembly exhibiting the invent-ion while the portion illustrated at the right is a sectional view taken on the line 1--1 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary sectional view of the striker casting and the carrier assembly taken on the line 2-2 ofFig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 2 with the elements of the carrier omitted.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on theline 4-4 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on the line 55 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 6 is a plan view of a spring abutment member.

Fig. 7 is a side elevational view of the member shown in Fig. 6 and Fig. 8 is an end view.

Fig. 9 is a front elevational view of the carrier member.

Fig. 10 is a sectional view taken on the line 1010 of Fig. 9.

Fig. 11 is a plan view of the carrier member.

Fig. 12 is a side elevational view of apart of one of the retaining rollers.

Fig. 13 is an end view of an assembled roller and Fig.

14 is a side elevation of a second part of the retaining member.

Fig. 15 is a fragmentary front elevational view of a lower portion of the striker.

Referring to the drawings a striker is shown at 16 which may be of the type having integral front draft lugs (not shown). The striker is provided with a front opening 17 through which the stem 18 of a coupler may extend. The transverse dimensions of the coupler stern are outlined in phantomed lines in Fig. 1 and it is adapted to rest on and be supported by a carrier member 19. The carrier member is resiliently supported on the striker as hereinafter described. The coupler stem 18 is adapted to angle horizontally within the confines of the opening 17 and is supported by the carrier member 19 throughout such horizontal movements. The coupler shank 18 is also adapted to angle vertically and is supported by the carrier member during such movements.

The striker 16 except for the front and lower portions may be of a conventional construction which includes webs forming side walls 21 and 22 joined by a top wall 23. The striker may be provided with integral draft lugs at a rear portion (not shown) of a conventional design and construction. The striker is provided with holes 24 in the side walls for securing the striker to the side walls of a sill structure (not shown). The top of the striker is provided with holes 26 for attaching the top portion of the striker to the upper part of the body sills.

A trough structure is provided at the front and lower portion of the striker which includes a front wall 27 and a rear wall 28. It will be observed from a consideration of Fig. 3 that the top edge 29 of the front wall 27 is in the same horizontal plane as the top edge 31 of the rear wall 28. The lower central portion only of the trough structure is closed by means of a plate 32 while the side portions of the trough structure are open as indicated at 33 to permit the escape of water and debris such as cinders. The side walls 21 and 22 of the striker are also omitted in the areas transversely of the trough structure to provide open areas as indicated at 34 in Figs. 2 and 3, so as to facilitate assembly of the carrier member 19 in the striker as hereinafter described. The front wall 27 of the trough structure may be provided with relatively large weight reducing openings 36 while the rear wall 28 is provided with similar openings 37 for the same purpose.

The front wall 27 of the trough structure is provided with two horizontally elongated openings 38 and 39 as shown in Figs. 1 and 15. 'These openings 38 and 39 have horizontal top edges 41. The lower boundary edges 40 of the elongated openings 38 and 39 are of concave shape as best shown in Fig. 15. The front wall 27 of the trough structure in the areas bounding the openings 38 and 39 is reinforced by means of ribbing 42 and by means of a rib 43 (Figs. 3 and 15) which extends along the top edge of the front wall and joins the rib structures 42 around the openings 38 and 39.

The rear wall 28 of the trough structure is provided with similar elongated openings 44 and 46 as shown in Figs. 1 and 3. These openings have straight upper edges and concave lower edges'similar to those described in connection with the elongated openings in the front wall of the trough structure. The openings 44 and 46 are in horizontal alignment with the openings 38 and 39 in the front wall. The top edge portion of the rear wall 28 is reinforced by means of an intermediate rib 47 which joins ribs 48 bounding the openings 44 and 46.

The side wall 21 of the striker is provided with an aperthe carrier member 19. A similar aperture 51- (Fig. 1')

is provided in the side wall 22 of the striker rearwardly of the opening 46 to accommodate the rear end portion of another member for limiting upward movement of the carrier member.

The carrier member 19 is best illustrated in Figs. 9 to 11 and includes a top plate 52 which has a fiat upper surface 66. The upper surface of the plate 52 is adapted to lie in a substantially horizontal plane when the carrier member 19 is mounted in the striker and occupies a normal position therein. A front wall 53 depends from the top plate 52 and it will be observed from a consideration of Fig. that this wall is spaced rearwardly from the front edge of the top plate. The front wall 53 has a concave shaped lower edge 56 in the central portion as shown in Fig. 9 providing arms 57 and 58 at the lower outer extremities of the front wall. A lug 59 extends upwardly from one end of the top plate 52. A similar lug 61 carried by the top plate projects upwardly from the other end thereof. The lugs 59 and 61 are adapted'to engage the opposite sides of the coupler stem 18 and it will be observed from a consideration ofFig. 1 that the transverse area between the lugs 59 and 61 is only slightly greater than the transverse dimensions of the coupler shank. Accordingly any horizontal angling of the coupler and the coupler stern will cause the carrier member 19 to move transversely of the draft appliance.

A rib 62 integral with top plate 52 of the carrier member 19 extends throughout the length thereof as shown in Figs. 10 and 11. The lower edge 63 of the rib 62 slopes upward in proceeding towards the front of the carrier member 19. Thus when the carrier member 19 is moved downwardly as a result of a downward swinging movement of the coupler stem 18 as it often occurs in service the surface 63 will contact the top edge 31 of the rear wall 28 of the trough structure. The bottom surface of the top plate 52 will engage the top edge 29 of the front wall 27 of the trough structure in the area 64. Accordingly the top surface of the plate 52 of the carrier member 19 while remaining in flat full area engagement with the under surface of the coupler stem 18 will nevertheless have support at both the front and rear of' the trough structure. The relatively shallow depth of the rib 62 which terminates above the edge 31 of the wall 253 permits both the walls 27 and 28 to be more closely spaced than corresponding portions of prior structures wherein the carrier member has usually been provided with both front and rear walls which depend into the trough.

A loop 67 is provided at one end of the carrier member 19. A similar loop 68 is carried by the opposite end of the carrier member. The lower portion of the loop 67 is formed integral with the arm 57. The upper end of the loop 67 merges with and joins the lug 59.

The lower portion 69 of the loop 67 is provided with an upward facing surface 71 which is of concave formation and the utility of this arcuate surface'will be more apparent as the present disclosure proceeds. A similar concave upward facing surface 72 is formed in the lower portion 73 of the loop 68. The lower end 73 of the loop 68 is intergral with the arm portion 58 and the top portion is formed integral with the upstanding lug 61. A flange 74 is provided along the rear portion of thefloop .67. The flange'74- is connected to the up standing lug 59 and extends along the rear portion of the loop 67 and merges with the lower portion 69. A relatively large flat: area 76 thus forms the rear face of the loop 67 to provide a large bearing surface which is adapted to engage the inner surface of the wall 28 of the trough and limit rearward movement of the carrier member with reference to the striker; A similar flange 76 is provided along the rear portion of the loop 68. The flange 76 is integral with the upstanding lug 61 and also extends around the loop 68 and is connected with the lower portion 73. A relatively large bearing area 77 is thus provided along the rear portion of the loop 68 which is adapted to engage the rear wall 28 of the trough structure and limit rearward movement of the carrier member with respect to the striker. The front surface of the front wall 53 on the carrier member 19 cooperates with the inner surface of the front wall 27 whereby the carrier member is prevented from shifting forwardly except to a limited extent with respect to the striker.

A plurality of springs 79 serve to resiliently support the carrier member 19 on the striker. The invention includes a novel arrangement at the ends of the springs to permit rocking movement of the springs during lateral movements of the carrier member with reference to the striker. There is shown in Figs. 6 to 8 a spring abutment member 78 which includes a plate portion '79 having a flat surface 81. A plurality of spring positioning lugs 82 project from the fiat surface 81. The opposite face of the plate portion 79 is crowned or of convex shape as indicated at 83 in Figs. 7 and 8. A lug 84 projects from an intermediate edge of the plate portion 79.

One of the spring abutment members 78 is mounted with its convex surface in engagement with the bottom wall 32 of the trough structure as shown in Fig. 1. The springs 79 engage the spring positioning lugs 82 which extend into hollow lower ends of the springs 79. The abutment member 78 when positioned in the lower portion of the trough structure is maintained in position by the front wall 27 and the rear wall 28 of the trough structure. The lug 84 on the spring abutment member projects through an orifice 86 provided in the front wall 27 of the trough structure. The spring abutment member 78 is accordingly prevente d from moving transversely of the draft appliance. The orifice 86 is of adequate dimensions to permit rocking of the abutment member 78 on the bottom wall 32.

Another spring abutment member 7 8 is employed at the upper end of the springs 79. The lugs 82 of the upper spring abutment 7 8 depend into the open ends of the helical springs 79. The fiat surface 81 of the spring abutment member engages the upper ends of the spring 79. The carrier member 19 rests upon the crowned or convex surface 83 of the upper spring abutment member 78. This spring abutment member is maintained in position between the front wall 53 and the depending rear rib 62 on the carrier member. The lug 84 on the upper spring abutment member extends through an orifice 87 in the front wall 53 of the carrier member 19.

The convex surfaces 83 on the two spring abutment members permit the carrier member 19 to move transversely with respect to the striker by means of a rolling action of these crowned surfaces on the fiat upper surface of the bottom wall 32 and similar rolling action of the crowned surface of the upper abutment member 78 on the fiat under surface 88 of the carrier member. The radius of curvature of the crowned surfaces 83 on the upper and the lower spring abutment members 78 is greater than one-half of the vertical distance between these convex surfaces of the assembly so that the organization is stable'under ordinary circumstances and the carrier member 19 tends to return to its normal position when displaced from its central intermediate position shown in Fig. l.

In assembling the carrier member 19 it is first rotated in a vertical plane approximately forty-five degrees with respect to the vertical and then moved into the opening 17 at the front of the striker, One end of the carrier member 19 is then moved into open area 34. The carrier member is then raised as far as possible within the striker and such lifting of the carrier member is possible by reason of the vertical dimensions of the open areas 34. The lower spring abutment member 78 is then arranged in position after which the springs 79 are applied. The upper spring abutment member 78 is then moved into position.

The carrier member may then be moved downwardly to compress the springs 79 and to align the open areas of the loops 67 and 68 with the elongated openings 38 and 39 in the front wall 27 and with the elongated openings 44 and 46 in the rear wall of the trough structure. The retaining members may then be applied in these openings. The members for restraining upward movement of the carrier member are in the form of rollers. One of these rollers is shown in Figs. 12, 13 and 14. The roller includes a cylindrical shaft portion 92 which carries an enlarged diameter portion 93 at one end thereof. A flange 94 of larger diameter than the cylindrical portion 93 provides a head for the roller of larger diameter than the elongated openings 38 and 39. A collar 96 is adapted to fit over the other end of the shaft portion 92. An opening 97 in the collar fits snugly over the shaft portion 92 and a transverse aperture 98 is provided in the collar 96 for receiving a cotter pin or the like which also extends through an aperture 99 in the shaft portion to retain the collar 96 thereon. The collar 96 is provided with a cylindrical portion 101 which is of the same diameter as the cylindrical portion 93. A flange 102 carried by the collar is of such diameter as to overlie the elongated openings 44 and 46 in the rear wall 28 of the trough structure.

After the carrier member 19 is in position within the striker and moved downwardly against the action of the springs 79 the retaining rollers are applied. One of the rollers is introduced through the opening 38 so that the shaft portion 92 extends through the opening in the loop 67 and through the opening 44 in the rear wall 28 of the trough structure. Thereafter the collar 96 is applied to the shaft portion 92 and a cotter pin 104 is inserted. Another of the rollers is similarly applied through the opening 39 in the front wall of the trough structure and the shaft 92 thereof extends through the opening in the loop 68 and through the opening 46 in the rear wall 28 of the trough structure. The collar 96 is then applied to the shaft portion 92 and a cotter pin is inserted to hold the retaining member in place. The apertures 49 and 51 in the side walls of the striker provide clearance for accommodating the inner ends of the retaining rollers and permit lateral movement of these retaining members with reference to the striker.

It will be observed that the elongated openings in the front and back walls of the trough structure have straight horizontal top edges against which the enlarged diameter portions 93 and 101 of therollers bear. The surfaces 71 and 72 of the carrier member however engage the shaft portions 92 of the rollers. As a result of the differences in diameter of the shaft portion 92 of a roller and the enlarged diameter portions 93 and 101 lateral movements of the carrier member 19 with respect to the striker causes the rollers to move farther with respect to the striker than with regard to the carrier member 19. This provides the advantage of reducing the length of the surfaces 71 and 72 in the loops of the carrier member to a minimum and accordingly avoiding excessive overall length of the carrier member 19. The concave surfaces 71 and 72 function to center the carrier member 19 since the cylindrical portions 92 of the rollers tend to roll to the lowermost portions of the arcuate surfaces 71 and 72. The concave surfaces 40 of the elongated openings serve to move the rollers to central positions when the carrier member 19 is forced down in service below the normal position illustrated in the drawings.

The crowned surfaces 83 on the spring abutment members are designed to produce swing hanger action for lateral movements of the carrier member 19 and the coupler stem 18 with reference to the striker without adding weight to the assembly of hangers and hanger pins and the like. The carrier member 19 is restrained from moving upwardly by the roller type restraining members and any lateral movements of the carrier member 19 relative to the striker ment. Any lateral movement causes the cylindrical portions 92 of the rollers to roll on the curved surfaces 71 and 72 and the carrier member 19 moves downwardly slightly with respect to the striker. The springs 79 also swing as a result of the rolling action of the crowned surfaces 83. The angularly displaced springs 79 also tend to return the carrier member to a central position.

While the invention has been described with reference to specific structural features and with regard to one assembly it will be appreciated that changes may be made in the details as well as the general organization. Such modifications and others may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the appended claims. 1

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is: l. A draw bar support assembly for draft riggings comprising, a striker, a trough structure carried by a lower fowad portion of the striker having generally vertical front and rear walls and a bottom wall, a spring abutment member having a convex lower surface resting on said bottom wall, springs within the trough structure engaging said abutment member, an upper spring abutment member engaging upper ends of said springs and having a convex upper surface, a carrier member having a flat under surface engaging the convex surface of said upper spring abutment member, upstanding lugs carried by the carrier member adapted to be engaged by the opposite sides of the draw bar, said carrier member being adapted to be moved laterally with respect to the striker whereby the convex surfaces of said spring abutment members roll on said bottom and the under surface of the carrier member, and said front and rear wallshaving horizontally elongated openings therein, upwardly facing surfaces on said carrier member adjacent said openings, and rollers extending through said openings and over said upwardly facing surfaces limiting upward movement of the carrier member with respect to said trough structure.

2. In a draw bar carrier for railway couplers, a striker,

.a trough structure carried by a lower forward portion of the striker having a generally vertical front and a generally vertical rear wall, a spring abutment member having a convex lower surface resting on a bottom of the trough, springs within the trough structure with lower ends thereof engaging said abutment member, a second spring abutment member engaging upper ends of said springs and having a convex upper surface, a carrier member having a fiat under surface engaging the convex surface of said second spring abutment member, upstanding lugs carried by the carrier iron adapted to be engaged by the opposite sides of the draw bar, said carrier member being movable laterally with reference to the striker whereby the convex surfaces of said. spring abutment members roll on the bottom of the trough and on the under side of the carrier member, and the radius of curvature of the convex surfaces of said spring abutment members being greater than one-half of the vertical distance between the convex surfaces to provide an assembly which tends to return the carrier member to an intermediate position from a lateral displaced position, said front wall having laterally spaced horizontally elongated openings therein, said rear wall having horizontally elongated openings therein in alignment with the first elongated openings, laterally spaced upwardly facing surfaces on said carrier member adjacent the associated elongated openings, and rollers extending through said openings and over said upwardly facing surfaces limiting upward movement of the carrier member with respect to the striker.

3. In a support for a railway coupler, a striker having an opening in a forward portion thereof through which a stem of a coupler is adapted to extend, a trough structure carried by a lower forward portion of a striker, springs in said trough structure, a carrier member having a top plate for engaging an under surface of the coupler stem resiliently supported by said springs, said trough structure having horizontally elongated openings therein, loops carried by the carrier member, and rollers extending through said elongated openings and through said loops for restraining upward movement of the carrier member with respect to the striker.

4 In a support for a railway coupler, a striker having an opening in a forward portion thereof through which a stem of a coupler is adapted to extend, a trough structure carried by a lower forward portion of a striker, springs in said trough structure, a carrier member having a top plate for engaging an under surface of the coupler stem resiliently supported by said springs, said trough structure having horizontally elongated openings therein, loops carried by the carrier member, rollers extending through said elongated openings and through said loops for restraining upward movement of the carrier member with respect to the striker, and an upwardly facing concave surface on each loop for engaging the respective rollers. Y

5'. In a support for a railway coupler, a striker having an opening in a forward portion thereof through which a stem of a coupler is adapted to extend, a trough structure carried by a lower forward portion of a striker, springs in said trough structure, a carrier member having a top plate for engaging an under surface of the coupler stem resiliently supported by said springs, said trough structure having horizontally elongated openings therein, loops carried by the carrier member, rollers extending through said elongated openings and through said loops for restraining upward movement of the carrier member with respect to the striker, a cylindrical portion on each roller for rolling engagement with the boundary of the associated elongated opening, and a second cylindrical por tion on each roller of less diameter than the first cylindrical portion for engaging an upwardly facing surface on the associated loop.

6. An assembly for supporting the stem of a railway coupler comprising, a striker, a trough structure carried by a lower forward portion of the striker having a generally vertical front wall and a generally vertical rear wall, springs within the trough structure, a carrier member supported on said springs, upstanding lugs carried by the carrier member adapted to be engaged by opposite sides of the coupler stern, said front and rear walls having openings therein elongated transversely of the striker, a substantially horizontal edge defining the top of each opening, an upward facing concave surface defining the bottom edge of each opening, said carrier member having openings thcrethrough, rollers extending through the openings in the front wall and through the openings in the -8 carrier member and through the openings in the rear wall, and an upward facing concave surface defining the bottom of each opening in said carrier member.

7. An assembly for supporting the stem of a railway coupler for horizontal and vertical angling comprising, a striker, a trough structure carried by a lower forward portion of the striker having a generally vertical front wall and a general vertical rear wall, springs within said trough structure, a spring abutment member engaging the upper end of said springs and having an upper surface crowned transversely of the striker, a carrier member having a fiat under surface engaging said crowned surface, upstanding lugs carried by the carrier member adapted to be engaged by opposite sides of the coupler stem, said front and rear walls having openings therein elongated transversely of the striker, loop members carried by the carrier member each having an upward facing concave surface, and rollers extending through the openings in the front wall and the loop members and the openings in the rear wall. I

8. A carrier member for supporting a railway coupler comprising, a top plate, a lug extending upwardly from each end of the top plate, a front wall depending from said plate rearwardly of a front edge thereof and terminating at its lower outer ends in arms, a loop member connecting one of said lugs to one of said arms, another loop member connecting the other of said lugs to the other of said arms, and a rib along the under face of the top plate having a lower edge surface which slopes upwardly in proceeding towards the front wall.

9. A carrier member for supporting a railway coupler comprising, a top plate, a lug extending upwardly from each end of the top plate, a front wall depending from said plate rearwardly of a front edge thereof and terminat- References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,993,712 Barrows Mar. 5, 1935 2,401,822 Gilpin June 11, 1946 2,401,823 Gilpin June 11, 1946 2,509,988

Nyfstrom May 30, 1950 

